Sake Guide Lesson 7: Sake and Food Pairing Guide

What do I eat with sake?

Although Japanese food is the most common pairing, many people are surprised to learn that sake can be easily paired with a variety of cuisines. In fact, it’s better at food pairing than wine!

Sake has more than four times the succinic acid — the acid that’s responsible for umami in foods such as lobster and shrimp — as wine does. It also has nearly three times as much lactic acid, which is a component in cheese, soy sauce and other savory ingredients. Conversely, wine has tannins and more acetic acid, responsible for vinegar-like flavor. The umami qualities in sake make it an excellent supporting actor for meals.

Here, we offer some basic tips on pairing sake with different kinds of food, whether it be fried, spicy or light and fresh.

Browse sake by food pairing at Palate Project

There is a lot of helpful information on Palate Project to help you select and enjoy your sake to the fullest. In addition to tasting notes and serving temperature recommendations, each product page comes with suggestions for types of food to pair with the bottle. The suggestions include cheese, fruit, meat, seafood, sushi and veggies. Of course there are many different flavors inside these major categories, but it gives you a nudge in the right direction.

If you already know what you’ll be serving for dinner the next time your friends come over, use the food pairing filter to find sake that fits the bill.

Five food categories for pairing: spicy, savory, oily, sweet, delicate

Eating food with sake is how Japan’s national beverage is meant to be enjoyed. Every brewer and sake professional knows the power of sake when it comes to enhancing meals. When you get the pairing just right, the taste of the sake and the food are transformed by each other, reaching new heights of deliciousness. For anyone who considers themselves a foodie, the experience can be transcendent.

We’ll walk you through five major food categories — spicy, savory, oily, sweet and delicate — and the best type of sake to sip with them, including specific bottle recommendations.

Sake for spicy food

This one’s easy. You know how people say to drink milk with spicy food instead of water? They’re right — and it’s a tip that translates to the world of sake. Nigori, aka cloudy sake, does not contain milk, but is known for its creamy, milky texture and sweetness. This is a result of the rice lees that are allowed to remain in the final brew. These qualities make it the perfect sake type for calming the heat of spicy meals such as curry, spicy kimchi and flaming-hot wings.

You can also reach for flavored sake. For instance, Mexican cuisine is famous for pairing with fruity margaritas. The next time you have a plate of strongly seasoned tacos, pour yourself some yuzu sake. This lemony Japanese citrus sake provides the perfect fruity tang to cut through marinated meats, and sweetness to soothe those bold Mexican spices.

Pairing suggestion: Kurosawa “Nigori” and kimchi yaki udon noodles

Kimchi, a fermented cabbage dish from Korea, is beloved for its pleasurable combination of tang and spiciness. You can purchase gochujang — Korean red pepper paste — online or from Asian markets, or you can make your own at home. Get the recipe for kimchi and pork yaki udon.

Take a bite and follow it with a sip of Kurosawa “Nigori,” a cloudy sake from Nagano prefecture, Japan. This sake’s rich, creamy body and sweet melon flavor is a fabulous complement to the savory heat of the dish.

Pairing suggestion: Yuzu margarita and loaded nachos

Yuzu sake is satisfying on its own, but if you’re serving up Mexican or Tex-Mex, why not make it a margarita? Our Yuzu Margarita Cocktail Set comes with the recipe card and the simple ingredients you need to make it: Homare “Yuzu,” shikuwasa juice, and yuzu salt for the rim. It’s the best companion for spicy salsa, jalapenos and cumin-and-chipotle-seasoned meat smothered in cheese and sour cream.

Sake for oily, fried food

The crispy, oily goodness of fried food definitely makes you thirsty. To cut through oil, fat and breading, the ideal sake pairing should be refreshing with vibrant acidity. In Japan, one of the most popular food and alcohol pairings is karaage fried chicken with a yuzu highball; typically, yuzu-infused shochu with soda water. Yuzu sake can just as easily fit the bill for this type of food.

But fruit-infused sake isn’t the only option. There are plenty of bottles with fruity acidity and juiciness that come from sake’s four standard ingredients: rice, yeast, water and koji. “Namazake” (unpasteurized sake) is a great option because of its raw, lively taste. Having not undergone pasteurization, nama is expressive and often possesses delightful acidity. “Genshu” (undiluted sake) is another sake category that works well with fried foods because it generally has a bolder taste with above-average alcohol content. Lastly, sake crafted with white koji — as opposed to the usual yellow koji — contains more citric acid.

Pairing suggestion: Urakasumi “Genshu” and karaage chicken

Karaage chicken is an extremely popular izakaya staple. Bite-sized pieces of chicken are marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and sake. Then, the chicken is covered in potato starch and fried twice; first at medium heat, then at high heat. It’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Find a recipe for karaage chicken in this article about how to make the ultimate bento box.

Refresh your palate by serving Urakasumi “Genshu” on the rocks. This undiluted sake has an 18.5% ABV compared to the average sake alcohol content of 15%-16%. It balances a bolder alcohol taste with a touch of sweetness. Genshu is ideal for serving on the rocks because as the ice melts, it waters down the drink, making it taste a bit lighter.

Sake for fresh, delicate food

The more that sake rice is polished, the more refined and delicate the sake tastes. Ginjo and junmai ginjo have to have a 60% polishing ratio or less, while daiginjo and junmai daiginjo require 50% or less. These types of sake are often lighter on the palate with a clean taste boasting floral and fruity aromas and flavors. They are the exact types of sake to pair with light, refreshing fare such as salads and sashimi.

Pairing suggestion: Hakkaisan “Junmai Daiginjo” and sashimi

Hakkaisan embodies the “tanrei karakuchi” style of sake — crisp, clean and dry. Brewed with snowmelt water from Mount Hakkai in Niigata prefecture, Hakkaisan “Junmai Daiginjo” is the ideal pairing for delicate meals like freshly sliced, premium sashimi.

Sake for sweet food

Desserts, fruit, pastries — the sweeter things in life can be indulged with sake too. Just as there are dessert wines, the sake equivalent also exists. If you’ve noticed, there are two easy ways to pair food with sake: combining similar taste profiles or combining opposite taste profiles. For example, pairing a delicate junmai daiginjo with light, refreshing ingredients; or pairing sweet nigori with spicy food. For dessert, there’s also an option that combines the best of both worlds.

Pairing suggestion: Izumibashi “Dragonfly” Nigori Sparkling and fruit tarts

Light and fruity sake tend to pair well with fruits. A clean, elegant daiginjo or a slightly sweet sparkling sake both work wonderfully. At the same time, a richly sweet, creamy nigori doubles the pleasure of indulgent desserts like fudge brownies. But there’s a fun middle ground: sparkling nigori.

Izumibashi “Dragonfly” Nigori Sparkling possesses nigori-like sweetness from the rice sediments along with notes of peach and pineapple. The bubbles lighten the mouthfeel on the palate. This balance of richness and softness makes it delicious with desserts like fruit tarts, which consist of a buttery crust, vanilla cream and fresh fruit.

Pairing suggestion: Tamagawa “Time Machine” 1712 and vanilla ice cream

“Koshu” (aged sake) can develop extra sweetness during the aging process. Just as with other aged alcohol, the flavor deepens and becomes more robust, often with tones of caramel, brown sugar, honey or dried fruit. Tamagawa “Time Machine” 1712 is viscous and honey-like, almost like mead. Not only can you pair it with vanilla ice cream, but you can go a step further and drizzle it on top!

You can also do this with a type of sake called “kijoshu,” which is made by brewing with sake in place of some of the water; it’s like sake within sake. Similar to koshu, kijoshu often tastes especially sweet because of this unique brewing method.

Sake for savory food

Savory foods love full-bodied sake, whether it’s a sweet and juicy junmai ginjo or a classic, dry junmai. Sake is known for its umami quality, which is why it’s so great at food pairing. The heartwarming succulence of lobster, vegetables au gratin, soups and more are all made better with sake. Here are our pairing suggestions for some of the world’s most beloved savory foods.

Pairing suggestion: Akabu “Junmai Ginjo” and pizza

Akabu “Junmai Ginjo” won two gold medals at the International Wine Challenge 2018 and 2019. It’s bursting with juicy flavors of apple and apricot, which, believe it or not, are an amazing combination with pizza. Fruity and expressive with a touch of acidity, this junmai ginjo’s sweetness is the kind that offers some umami as well, and when you think about it, that’s exactly what tomato sauce does. And remember, sake also has nearly three times as much lactic acid — present in cheese — as wine. All of this boosts the umami of the pizza.

Pairing suggestion: Hakutsuru “Toji-Kan” and ramen

The other way to go is with a classic, no-frills sake that truly embraces the flavor of the rice. Junmai, honjozo, futsushu (table sake) — these types of sake are made with rice that haven’t undergone as much rice polishing, and are usually very versatile in terms of food pairing and serving temperature.

Hakutsuru “Toji-Kan” is an everyday futsushu with a medium body. It balances rice umami with a light, caramel-like sweetness. Mellow and balanced, the brewmaster crafted it to be a reliable after-work drink. It’s made to be enjoyed with a range of savory meals, from ramen to quiche. You can drink it at any temperature. Alongside ramen, we recommend gently warming it to match the temperature of the soup.

For a drier, more full-bodied offering, try Hakutsuru “Junmai” with pasta alfredo.

Sake pairings recommended by chefs

In our chef video series, we interview three chefs who serve up various styles of cuisine, from European to Chinese-Latino fusion. Hear from them which sake they would pair with their dishes and why!

Wonton caldo soup and Taiheizan “Nigori”

At Chino Grande in Brooklyn, New York, Chef Christine Lau makes food inspired by the many flavors and traditions of the local immigrant community. One dish that exemplifies her style of fusion cuisine is her wonton caldo soup. Read the full story: “Connecting Chinese-Latino Cuisine and Sake at Chino Grande”

Pork sandwich and Amabuki “Gin no Kurenai”

Chef Shaina Loew-Banayan puts her creative spin on traditional French, Hungarian and other European dishes at Cafe Mutton in Hudson, New York. Their rustic-yet-elevated pork sandwich makes use of an unexpected ingredient, and pairs perfectly with Amabuki “Gin no Kurenai.” Read the full story: “‘Unpredictable’ Cafe Mutton Chef Sees ‘A Lot of Possibility’ in Sake”

Burrapizza Cafonatta and Akabu “Junmai Ginjo”

By pairing sake with their Roman-American-style pizza, husband-and-wife team Gabriele Lamonaca and Paola Sinisgalli celebrate the kind of cultural exchange that defines New York City. Read the full story: “‘Doesn’t Get More New York’ Than Sake With Unregular Pizza”

Sake isn’t just for Japanese food

Naturally, Japan’s national beverage suits Japanese cuisine. For more than 2,000 years, sake and food have been made side by side. Yet while you can never go wrong pairing the two, there is a world of other sake and food combinations out there. It’s not opinion, it’s science: Sake’s chemical makeup makes it an incredible brew to eat with. Explore the possibilities at home with sake from Palate Project.